Giovanna: The Cowboy's Calabrese Mail Order Bride (Sweet Land of Liberty Brides Book 1) (7 page)

Nathalie broke from her thoughts to comfort her friend. Sylvia had worked for her grandfather for the last two years in the store, and though only 16, she was a hard worker and gave most of her pay to her parents. Before that, they had been schoolmates since grammar school, until Sylvia had to go to work and Nathalie continued on to upper school.

Sylvia sat down and Nathalie gestured to the waiter for another cup and more hot tea. As she poured for her friend, her resolve grew to find a way out of this situation—for herself, and for Sylvia, Gadsen, and Mrs. Porter.

“I’ll find a way to open a new store with my share of the proceeds,” Nathalie said. “It’s either that, or go into business with someone I don’t know.” Nathalie looked through the papers and found the section on investment opportunities. Mr. Jacobson had entered three names with short descriptions.

“Look at these, the two stores here in the city aren’t worth putting a dime into,” Nathalie said in disgust. “The only other choice listed is not even in New York City—why it’s all the way in South Dakota! If Mr. Jacobson thinks he can get rid of me that easily, he doesn’t know me at all!”

“Silas Jacobson?” Sylvia asked. “He’s the man who came to the store to tell us all to leave. He was such a sourpuss, he surprised me when I heard him laughing with the new owner. I didn’t think anything was funny about it.”

“What was he laughing about?” Nathalie asked, trying hard to picture Mr. Jacobson in any sort of humorous pose.

“That’s why I came to find you as quickly as I could,” Sylvia said. “I overheard him say he was sure to get rid of you—and get your share of the money back in the process. He said he knew you wouldn’t take the New York offers; nobody would. But he figured he’d get you to invest and go west. He said he owns the note on the store there, and when it fails, he’ll foreclose.”

Nathalie read the third investment listing out loud. “General Store in growing town on rail line. Owner requires manager and seeks wife for longevity of partnership and passage to heirs. Contact Mr. Isadore X. Maduro, at Maduro General Store, Springvale, South Dakota.”

“You couldn’t possibly!” Sylvia exclaimed. “The nerve of that Mr. Jacobson! I’ll find him and give him a piece of my mind if he thinks he can send you off to nowhere!”

Nathalie burst out laughing at Sylvia’s outrage, drawing her further protest. “It’s not funny, Nathalie! How can you laugh? Oh my, what would I ever do without you? You can’t seriously consider going!”

“I’m sorry, it’s just—well it took you two months to speak to our customers, and the thought of you confronting Mr. Jacobson—oh, it makes me smile just to think of it.”

“Well, someone has to put him in his place. It might as well be me.”

“No, dear heart. I don’t want you to say anything to Silas Jacobson. You stay as far away from him as possible. But thank you for giving my mind a rest from my worries.” Nathalie thought how amazing it was that a bit of laughter could provide her such clarity of direction.

“My mind is made up—I’m going to write to Mr. Isadore X. Maduro—and I’m going to make that store into something my grandfather would be proud of. Hang Silas Jacobson, I’ve had enough of him trying to ruin my life!”

“Nathalie, don’t say such things!” Sylvia cried, but she grasped her friend’s hand. If you’re going, then take me with you. You know I can help in the store.”

“No, I can’t agree to that, much as I would like to have you with me,” Nathalie said. “I can’t guarantee any sort of pay for you. I’ll recommend you for a new position here in the city. I’m sure one of Luxe’s competitors will snap you up. There now, don’t be sad. I’m going to make this right—for all of us.”

##

Lorena Dove has been reading and fantasizing about living during the great westward migration since she was a young child growing up in New York and then Virginia. A descendent of Italian and German immigrants, she enjoys the interplay of cultures and passing down of traditions, recipes and family values to her children and grandchildren.

Lorena raised four children in a modernized 1880s log cabin for 10 years in West Virginia. The seasons of nature, the beauty of the mountains and rivers, and the simple enjoyment of gardening, reading and quilting have been her passions. She lives with her husband, a retired Marine Corps colonel, and sons in Virginia. She collaborates on books with her daughter, whose passion for historical fiction exceeds her own, and is waiting for her granddaughters to fit into their mother’s dress-up hoopskirts and bonnets.

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